


Framed

by LizAnn_5869



Series: Life, Or What Happens When You're Busy Making Other Plans [2]
Category: Broadchurch
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, F/M, Romance, Romantic Fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-04-28
Updated: 2015-04-28
Packaged: 2018-03-26 06:00:34
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,035
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3839743
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LizAnn_5869/pseuds/LizAnn_5869
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>This was truly a case of a picture being worth a thousand words.  He wanted the picture.  He had taken time to print the picture, get a frame and put it on his desk.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Framed

**Author's Note:**

> This takes place before my other Broadchurch story Engaging Conversation. It is a ficlet about an early moment in their relationship.

He wasn't in his office when she arrived for their lunch date, so she spent a little time catching up with Wendy at the front desk before she wandered back to his office to wait. Ellie missed the people at Broadchurch's police department but not the job itself. The Latimer case had killed her love for that. 

It hadn't diminished her affection for Alec Hardy, however. If anyone had told her, immediately after meeting this job thieving knob that he would come to be one of the most important people in her life, (let alone one she was contemplating a future with) she would have laughed. Uproariously. And then feared for that person's sanity.

However, if one wanted a picture of "life happening while you are busy making other plans," one need only look at Alec Hardy and Ellie Miller. 

Speaking of pictures....there was something new on Alec's desk, something that hadn't been there five days ago when they had their last lunch date. She circled around to Hardy's side of the desk.

On the desk was a picture frame. In the picture was Hardy himself, his arm around Ellie, who was holding Fred. Tom was in the corner of the picture, sort of smiling but trying to not be photographed. She recognized the picture, she had taken it herself. Hardy, who scoffed at the very idea of the "selfie" had asked her to text the picture to him.

This was truly a case of a picture being worth a thousand words. He wanted the picture. He had taken time to print the picture, get a frame and put it on his desk. 

His work desk. Not the one in the corner of the living room in the little blue hut. 

That was tantamount to him standing on said work desk and announcing to the police station, "I have started dating Ellie Miller, and it's serious." (Actually, he'd probably just say "Miller", but anyway, it was major for him.). It was one thing for them to see her popping by twice a week for the last three weeks for informal lunches, but quite another for him to display a picture that said, "I have a claim on these people."

Her heart felt full and she couldn't quite wipe the smile off her face when Alec strode into the room, all rumpled suit and slightly less out of control beard, with a scowl on his face. He saw what she was holding and his face flushed a bit. 

Ellie was still grinning brilliantly at Hardy. She could not quite resist taking the piss out of him, just a little. She never could resist that. The grin morphed into a smirk and one eyebrow raised.

"Bloody hell, Hardy. And you moaned and griped and bitched about me havin' pictures on my desk and yet here you are, practically got the photo album out." 

Hardy returned the scowl but his eyes were twinkling. "I did not moan and bitch about pictures on your desk."

"That's practically a public declaration, " said Ellie, gesturing to the frame. Hardy closed the distance between the two. "You might as well be shaggin' me on your desk right now." A look flashed in Alec's eyes- one that said he might consider that. They were practically toe to toe now. 

"I think you showin' up for lunch on all your days off might be a pretty public declaration,". His voice was a low growl that made her stomach flip. "We're the talk of the town." He was close enough now that his breath ghosted against her cheek.. She closed the distance and they kissed. It was lighter than both wanted and definitely more chaste. Just a press of lips, a barely there taste. It hinted of more to come. He was at work after all. She thought that quite possibly she'd never been as aroused by the mere press of lips.

"Beth still on to babysit Saturday night?" Alec said in a low voice, full of promise of what he hoped was going to happen. They hadn't made love yet. It was on the horizon, maybe soon. Want was radiating from the both of them in nearly visible waves. 

"Still on for Saturday, " Elllie answered. She gave him an almost shy smile. Ellie was also pretty certain about how Saturday night should transpire.

She indicated the picture frame. "We need one more of these with Daisy in it too. Any news about this summer?"

"Dealing with Tess is like shakin' one of those bloody magic eight balls. It's 'reply is hazy, try again later' right at the moment. Maybe we'll get that picture. We shall see." She gave his forearm a quick squeeze and kissed his cheek. 

"Brought some lovely chicken and salad."

He mumbled something about turning him into a bloody rabbit and she snickered. He acted like it was a burden for her to look after him and he complained, but he was happy to know she cared. Just as she grumbled when he made a point of checking the locks around her house after the kids went to bed and he went back to his place. 

She spread the picnic out on his desk, once he moved some files. They tucked into lunch. After a bit the topic turned, as it always did, to whatever case Alec was working on. He wished again that she'd come back to work there, knowing that topic was off limits for a while longer at least. She was the world's best unpaid consultant. "So did SOCO come up with anything new with the break- in at the Newsagents?"

"Well...no, Brian's checking out some things around that back door frame. I'm still betting on it being linked to that one up the coast a bit........"

And they talked and ate and spent a perfectly good lunch break bouncing theories and ideas off each other until it was time for Alec to get back to work and Ellie to pick up Fred at his nursery school. They parted with a kiss and promises to get together (probably before Saturday.) If they were the talk of the town, neither really noticed or cared at that moment.

**Author's Note:**

> I'm hoping to write more and turn it into a longer series. At this point in my imagination they've had several lunches, a few dates with the kids in tow and a few dates when it's just them alone.


End file.
